Train-lighting system.



PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

W. L. BLISS.

TRAIN LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.15,1905.

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WITNESSES:

INVENTOR'.

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WILLIAM L. BLISS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BLISS ELECTRIC CABLIGHTING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

TRAIN-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept; 12, 1905.

Application filed March 16, 1905. Serial No. 250,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. BLIss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Train-Lighting Systems, of whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification.

The present invention relates to improvements in lighting systems whichare especially adapted to be employed for lighting cars or other unitsof transportation by electricity. The particular form of the system towhich the present invention especially relates is adapted to be employedfor lighting a train of cars. It is provided with a single generatorwhich furnishes the current for operating the entire system. It is alsoprovided with storage batteries and translating devices arranged incircuit with said generator, a storage battery and translating devicebeing arranged upon each car or unit in the train. The generator isdriven by an axle or other means, and it is regulated by means of anautomatic regulator which responds to variations in electricalconditions to confine the output thereof within safe limits,notwithstanding the wide variations in speed to which it is subjected.

The present application sets forth and claims a modification of aninvention which is explained in an application filed June 15, 1904,Serial No. 212,593.

According to the present invention a rheostatic device or variableresistance is employed to regulate the generator, said rheostatic devicebeing controlled in operation by an electromagnet.

The current which it is necessary for the generator to supply dependsupon the number of cars or units in the train. Whenever cars are addedto the train, the current must increase, and whenever cars are takentherefrom it must decrease. If the regulator be subjected to variationsin current under such circumstances, then it will cause the regulationof the generator to be altered, thereby preventing said generatorfrommaking the output thereof commensurate with the-demands for current. Thepurposes of the regulator will be accomplished if it responds to merelysuch variations in the output of the generator as result from variationsin the speed thereof.

The object of the present invention is to provide means which willprevent the regulator from altering the regulation of the generator whenvariations in the output of the generator result from changes in thenumber of cars or units in the train.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a system which will be explainedfor the purpose of disclosing the present invention. It will of coursebe understood that the system illustrated in the drawing may be changedin many ways without departing from the invention and, furthermore, thatsaid drawing illustrates merely sufiicient features of the system tocharacterize the invention.

The generator may be provided with an armature 1 and a field 2, and itis preferably arranged upon the tender of the locomotive; but it may becarried elsewhere upon the train. The armature is preferably geared toan aXle, and the field is preferably arranged in circuit in shunt withthe armature. The generator is regulated by a rheostatic device orvariable resistance which varies the strength of the field inversely asthe speed of the armature varies, thereby causing the output of thegenerator to be confined within such limits as are safe for the system.The rheostatic device or variable resistance is preferably arranged uponthe tender with the generator, and it may be of various forms andoperated in different ways. The train is preferably provided with atrain-line or main circuit,which extends through the cars or unitsthereof, said train-line preferably being composed of conductors 3, 4,and 5. The conductors L and 5 are preferably connected to the generatorat the forward end of the train by conductors or supply-mains 6 and 7,and the conductors 3 and t are preferably connected to each other at therear end of the train by a conductor or jumper 8.

The equipment which is installed upon each car will now be explained.The drawing illustrates equipments for two cars, and as both theequipments are alike reference will be made to a single car inexplaining same. The car is provided with a local circuit composed ofconductors 9 and 10, the conductor 9 being connected to the conductor 5and the conductor 10 being connected to the conductor 3.

The several local circuits in the system may be arranged in parallelacross the train-line. As the length of the main circuit between thegenerz'ttor and each local circuit is the same, equal voltages will beimpressed upon. the local circuits. The car is also provided with astorage battery 11 and lamps and other translating devices 12, saidbattery and said lamps preferably being arranged in the local circuit inparallel. The circuit of the lamps is preferably controlled by a switch13. The local circuit is preferably controlled by an automatic switch,which may be provided with stationary contacts 14: and 15 and a movablecontact 16, said movable contact being adapted to engage said stationarycontacts to close the local circuit. The movable contact is preferablycarried by plunger 17, which is actuated by windings 18 and 19. Thewinding 18 is preferably arranged across the local circuit between theswitch-contacts and the train-line, and the winding 19 is preferablyarranged in a series with the switch-contacts and the storage battery.The shunt-winding 18 will cause the switch to close whenever the voltageof the generator becomes equal to that of the storage battery. WVhilethe automatic switch remains closed the series winding 19 will beenergized by the current flowing through the local circuit, and so longas the generator sends current through the local circuit the serieswinding will assist the shuntwinding in keeping the movable contactfirmly in engagement with the stationary contacts. Whenever the voltageof the generator falls below that of the storage battery, current willflow backward through the local circuit from the storage battery, andthen the series winding will oppose the shunt-winding, as the polaritythereof will be reversed, thereby causing the switch to open.

The rheostatic device or variable resistance which is employed toregulate the generator may be provided with a series of resistanceplates20, of carbon or other suitable material. The resistance-plates areplaced in contact with each other, the same preferably being arrangedbetween a stationary terminal block 21 and a movable block 22. Thestationary terminal block is preferably engaged by a screw 23, by whichthe position thereof may be adjusted. The movable terminal block ispreferably mounted upon a plunger 24, which bears upon a spring 25, saidplunger being pressed upwardly by said spring to press theresistance-plates together. The spring is preferably mounted upon ascrew 26, which is provided for adjusting the tension thereof. Thestationary terminal block 21 is preferably connected to the supplymain 6by conductor 27, and the movable terminal block 22 is preferablyconnected to one terminal of the field 2, the other terminals of saidfield being connected to the sup ply-main 7. The field 2 is thusarranged in series with the resistance-plates 20 across the main orsupply circuit. The plunger 2a may be actuated by an electromagnet 28 toregulate the pressure between the resistanceplates, said magnetpreferably being arranged in the main circuit between the generator andthe local circuits. The output of the generator will increase wheneverthe speed thereof increases, thereby causing the strength of thecontrollirig-electromagnet 28 to increase, and it will decrease wheneverthe speed thereof decreases, thereby causing the strength of said magnetto decrease. \Vhenever the strength of said magnet increases, thepressure between the resistance-plates will be decreased, therebyincreasing the resistance in circuit with the field, and when thestrength thereof decreases the pressure between the resistance-plateswill be increased, thereby causing the resistance in circuit with thefield to decrease. The strength of the lield will thus be variedinversely as the speed of the armature varies, and in consequence theoutput of the generator will be confined within safe limits.

When the generator is in operation, current will flow from the positiveterminal thereof through supply-main 6, conductor 4, and jumper 8 toconductor 3, thence through the local circuits, and finally throughconductor 5, supply-main 7, and controlling electromagnet 28 to thenegative terminal thereof. If the voltage of the generator besubstantially equal to that of the storage battery, the current foroperating the lamps will be furnished by the generator and the storagebattery together; but if it be greater than that of the storage batterythe generator will furnish the entire current for operating the lampsand also a current for charging the storage battery. It being assumedthat the voltage of the generator is greater than that of the storagebattery, the current in the 10- cal circuit will flow from thesupply-main 10 through the automatic switch, then through the switch 13and the lamps 12, and also through the storage battery 11 to theconductor 9. lnasmuch as the current delivered to the storage batterydepends upon the voltage developed by the generator, it will varywhenever the speed of the generator varies. The current delivered to thestorage battery will increase in almost direct proportion to the rise involtage of the generator above the normal voltage of the storagebattery, thereby causing the controlling-electromagnet of the variableresistance to be subjected to considerable variations in the currentupon slight variations in the speed of the armature. \Vhen cars areadded to the train, the output of the generator will increase to supplythe demand for current, because new parallel circuits are placed acrossthe main circuit or train-line, and when cars are taken from the trainthe output of the generator will decrease in accordance with saidmagnet.

the decrease in the demand for current, bel tion, a generator drivenatavariable speed, a

cause parallel circuits are removed from across the main circuit ortrain-line. It may be assumed Where two cars are in the train, asillustrated in the drawing, that the generator delivers a current of onehundred amperes, a

current of fifty amperes being distributed to each car. If a car beadded to the train, the output of the generator will increase to onehundred and fifty amperes, and. if a car be taken therefrom it willdecrease to fifty amperes.

If the controlling-e1ectromagnet were subjected to variations in currentupon changes in the number of cars in the train, it would cause theregulator to alter the regulation of the generator, thereby preventingthe generator from varying the output thereof in accordance with thevariations in the demands for current. To prevent such result, ashuntcircuit 29 may be extended from the local main 9 of each car to thesupply-main 7, such shunt-circuit being placed around thecontrollingelectromagnet 28 to divert current therefrom. Theshunt-circuit of each car is arranged in parallel with the othershunt-circuits, and it is provided with a resistance 80 to prevent thesame from short-circuiting The Wheels of the cars and the track uponwhich said Wheels bear, as well as the condnoting-framework of the cars,may constitute parts of each shunt-circuit. It will of course beunderstood that any form of conductor may be employed to form theshuntcircuits. If a car be added to the train, another shunt-circuitWill be provided, thereby increasing the number of parallel shunt-circuits around the controlling-electromagnet, and in consequencethe current diverted from the controlling-electromagnet will increase tosuch an extent as to prevent said magnet from being subjected materiallyto the increase in the output of the generator. If a car be taken fromthe train, a shunt-circuit will be removed from the system, therebydecreasing the number of parallel shunt circuits around saidcontrolling-electromagnet, and in consequence the current diverted fromsaid magnet will be decreased to such an extent as to prevent the saidmagnet from being sul jected materially to the decrease in the output ofthe generator. The output of the generator may therefore vary Whenevercars are added to the train or taken therefrom without causing thecontrolling-electromagnet to alter the regulation of the generator.

It will be understood that many changes may be made in the systemwhichhas been setforth herein without in any way departing from the inventionas defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a train-lighting system, in combinastorage battery and translatingdevices carried upon each of a plurality of units of the train andconnected in circuit with said generator, an automatic rheostatic deviceregulating said generator to confine the output thereof withinprearranged limits, and means for preventing said rheostatic device fromaltering the regulation of the generator upon variations in the outputof the generator resulting from changes in the number ofv units in thetrain.

2. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, an automatic rheostatic device regulating said generatorto confine the output thereof within prearranged limits, translatingdevices carried upon each of a plurality of units of the train andarranged in circuit with said generator, and means for preventing saidrheostatic device from altering the regulation of said generator uponvariations in the output of said generator resulting from changes in thenumber of units in the train.

3. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed and provided with a field-winding, a main circuitextending from said generator, an automatic rheostatic device forregulating the strength of the current in said field-winding to confinethe output of said generator within prearranged limits, an electromagnetcontrolling the operation of said rheostatic device and arranged in saidmain circuit in series, a storage battery and translating devicescarried upon each of a plurality of units of the train and connected tosaid main circuit, and means for preventing said electromagnet fromcausing said rheostatic device to alter the regulation of said generatorupon variations in the output of said generator resulting from changesin the number of units in the train.

I. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator arranged uponthe tender of the locomotive and driven at a variable speed, a maincircuit extending from the generator, a local circuit arranged upon eachof said cars, a storage battery and translating device arranged in eachlocal circuit, an automatic rheostatic device regulating said generatorto confine the output thereof within prearranged limits, said rheostaticdevice being arranged upon said tender, an electromagnet controlling theoperation of said rheostatic device, said electromagnet being arrangedin the said main circuit in series with said storage batteries and saidtranslating devices, and means for preventing said electromagnet fromcausing said rheostatic device to alter the regulation of said generatorupon variations in the output of said generator resulting from changesin the number of units in the train.

5. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a

each local circuit to said main circuit and passing around said magnet.19f

6. In a train-lighting system,'in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a localcircuit arranged upon each of a plurality of units of the train andconnected to said main circuit, a storage battery and translatingdevices arranged in each local circuit, a rheostatic device regulatingsaid generator to confine the output thereof within prearranged limits,an electromagnet controlling the operation of said rheostatic device andarranged in said main circuit in series with said storage batteries andtranslating devices, and a shuntcircuit extending from each localcircuit to said main circuit and passing around said magnet.

7. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, a main circuit extending from said generator, a localcircuit arranged upon each of a plurality of units of the train andconnected to said main circuit, a storage battery and translatingdevices arranged in each local circuit, an automatic switch controllingeach local circuit, a rheostatic device for regulating said generator toconfine the output thereof within prearranged limits, an electromagnetcontrolling the operation of said rheostatic device, and a shunt-circuitextending from each local circuit to said main circuit and passingaround said electromagnet, each shunt-circuit being provided with aresistance and arranged in parallel with the other shunt-circuits.

8. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed and provided with a field-winding, a main circuitextending from said generator, a local circuit arranged upon each of aplurality of units of the train and connected to said main circuit inparallel with the other local circuits, a storage battery andtranslating devices arranged in each local circuit, a variableresistance arranged in circuit with said field-winding, an electromagnetcontrolling said variable resistance and arranged in said main circuitin series with said storage batteries and translating devices, and ashunt-circuit extending from each local circuit to said main circuit andpassing around said electromagnet.

9. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed and provided with a ficldwinding, a main circuitextending from said generator, a local circuit being provided with aresistance and arranged in parallel with the other shunt-circuits.

10. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator arrangedupon the tender of the locomotive and driven at a variable speed, a maincircuit extending from said generator and passing through a plurality ofcars, a local circuit arranged upon each car and connected to said maincircuit in parallel, a storage battery and translating devices arrangedin each local circuit, a rheostatic device arranged upon said tender andregulating said generator to confine the output thereof withinprearranged limits, an electromagnet controlling the operation of saidrheostatic device and arranged in said main circuit between saidgenerator and said local circuits, and a shunt-circuit extending fromeach local circuit to said main circuit and passing around saidelectromagnet.

11. In a train-lighting system, in combination a generator arranged uponthe tender of the locomotive and driven at a variable speed, saidgenerator being provided with a fieldwinding, a main circuit extendingfrom said generator and passing through a plurality of cars, a localcircuit arranged upon each of said cars and connected to said maincircuit in parallel With the other local circuits, a storage battery andtranslating devices arranged in each local circuit, a variableresistance carried upon said tender and arranged in series with saidfield-Winding, an electromagnet controlling said variable resistance andarranged in said main circuit in series between said generator and saidlocal circuits, and a shunt-circuit extending from each local circuit tosaid main circuit and passing around said magnet, each shunt-circuitbeing provided with a resistance and arranged in parallel with the othershunt-circuits.

12. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, translating devices carried upon each of a plurality ofunits of the train and arranged in circuit in parallel with saidgenerator, a rheostatic device for regulatingsaidgenerator to confinethe output thereof within prearranged limits, an electromagnetcontrolling the operation of said rheostatic device and arranged incircuit to be responsive to variations in current upon variations in thespeed of said generator, and means to prevent said magnet from causingsaid rheostatic device to alter the regulation of said generator uponvariations in the output of said generator resulting from changes in thenumberof units in the train.

13. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, a storage battery and translating devices carried uponeach of a plurality of units of the train and arranged in circuit inparallel with said generator, a rheostatic device for regulating saidgenerator to confine the output thereof Within prearranged limits, anelectromagnet controlling the operation of said rheostatic device andarranged in circuit to be responsive to variations in current uponvariations in the speed of said generator, and means for preventing saidmagnet from causing said rheostatic device to alter the regulation ofsaid generator upon variations in the output of said generator resultingfrom changes in the number of units in the train.

14:. In a train-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, translating devices carried upon each of a plurality ofunits of the train and arranged in circuit with said generator inparallel, a rheostatic device for regulating said generator to confinethe output thereof within prearranged limits, an electromagnetcontrolling the operation of said rheostatic device and arranged incircuit to respond to variations in current upon variations in the speedof said generator, and a parallel shunt-circuit extending around saidmagnet from each of said units, whereby the output of said generator mayvary upon changes in the number of units in the train without therebycausing said rheostatic device to alter the regulation of saidgenerator.

15. In atrain-lighting system, in combination, a generator driven at avariable speed, a storage battery and translating devices carried uponeach of a plurality of units of the train and arranged in circuit inparallel With said generator, a rheostatic device for regulating saidgenerator to confine the output thereof within prearranged limits, anelectromagnet controlling the operation of said rheostatic device andarranged in circuit to be responsive to variations in current uponvariations in the speed of said generator, and a parallel shunt-circuitextending around said magnet from each of said units, whereby the outputof said generator may vary upon changes in the number of units in thetrain without thereby causing said rheostatic device to alter theregulation of said generator.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WVILLIAM L. BLISS.

WVitnesses:

' J. N. ROBERTSON, GEORGE MULLER.

